DraftKings MLB Picks – August 1st

Last night’s lineup was a good one! The Oakland A’s stack went off without a hitch, punctuated by a grand slam from our shortstop Marcus Semien. Both Bruce Maxwell and especially Leury Garcia provided big time value at large discounts and our pitching once again performed very well. Danny Duffy pitched seven innings of one-run ball while striking out six and Charlie Morton went six quality innings, giving up two runs and striking out five. Last night’s lineup was certainly cashable so let’s make it two straight on tonight’s jam-packed, 15-game slate!

*Due to an advantageous matchup for the Rockies at Coors Field tonight, this lineup is intended for GPPs.

P – Jeff Samardzija (SF) – $8,400 vs. OAK

After a few rough starts, Samardzija got right back on track in his most recent outing, throwing seven innings of one-run ball while striking out eight last week against the Pirates. The Shark will still be pitching in a pitcher-friendly venue tonight at the O.Co Coliseum, but he will also be facing an A’s team that certainly racks up their fair share of punchouts. As a team, the A’s have struck out in 27.9% of their at-bats against righties this season while Samardzija has struck out 29% of the batters he has faced on the road this season.

P – Carlos Martinez (STL) – $8,800 vs. MIL

Martinez is another arm who has endured a bit of an up-and-down campaign, however he brings with him some nice strikeout upside as well. Martinez has struck out right-handed batters at a 29.9% clip this season, and could see as many as six or seven righties in the Brewers’ lineup tonight. In fact, the only team that has struck out more times against right-handed pitching than the aforementioned A’s this season are the Brewers at a 28.2% clip on the year.

C – Gary Sanchez (NYY) – $5,100 vs. DET

The Rockies are going to be the cash stack tonight, but it wouldn’t surprise me a whole lot to see the Yankees outscore them tonight. The Yankees’ stack leads off with the ever-powerful Gary Sanchez who has hit right-handed pitching to the tune of a .210 ISO, .829 OPS and a 36.5% hard hit rate. These numbers become even better when we consider Tigers’ right-hander Anibal Sanchez sports an 8.26 FIP and a massive 3.98 HR/9 clip to right-handed hitters on the road this season.

1B – Matt Holliday (NYY) – $3,500 vs. DET

We have some serious value here with the veteran Holliday. He has clobbered right-handed pitching this season and enters play tonight sporting a lofty .216 ISO against them, however his .749 ISO has been dragged down by a .255 BABIP. Regardless, he is a career .471 hitter (8 for 17) with two homers and double against Anibal Sanchez.

2B – Robinson Cano (SEA) – $3,700 vs. TEX

Another player who I believe is at a discount tonight is Robbie Cano. Cano isn’t having his greatest season, but it’s hard to argue with a .232 ISO, .852 OPS and a .353 wOBA with the platoon advantage like he will have tonight against Rangers’ right-hander Nick Martinez. When we factor in Martinez and his 6.82 FIP and 2.25 HR/9 at home against lefties this season we have to like our chances in this matchup.

3B – Kyle Seager (SEA) – $4,000 vs. TEX

Another player who hasn’t been at his best this season but is in a very compelling matchup tonight is Kyle Seager. Seager still sports a solid .179 ISO, .773 OPS and a very nice 39% hard hit rate against right-handers this season, however I’d like to see him improve on his ten homers against them too. That said, tonight is a great opportunity to see some of that power returns as he is a career .636 hitter (7 for 11) with a homer and two doubles in his career against Martinez.

SS – Didi Gregorius (NYY) – $4,100 vs. DET

While Sanchez has been a bit of a reverse-splits pitcher this season, he is still the owner of a 4.67 FIP and 1.45 HR/9 clip to left-handed hitters this season. Besides, Gregorius is having an excellent season and sports a .236 ISO, .889 OPS and a .370 wOBA against righties this season. When we factor in the short porch in right field at Yankee Stadium we have plenty of home run upside with Didi this evening.

OF – Aaron Judge (NYY) – $4,900 vs. DET

While he hasn’t enjoyed a strong start to the second half of the season, there is clearly some big time upside here with Judge against Sanchez. After all, Judge is sporting a .337 ISO and 1.071 OPS on the season against same-handed pitching. He is hitting the ball hard 46.9% of the time against righties this season and Yankee Stadium is just no match for the almost super-human power this guy brings to the table.

OF – Ben Gamel (SEA) – $4,100 vs. TEX

Last man up in this Mariners’ stack is outfielder Ben Gamel. Gamel is projected to hit in the leadoff spot for the Mariners tonight, a spot that could be very rewarding if this stack goes off. Gamel has crafted a solid .313 batting average and .815 OPS on the season against right-handed pitching while also matching Cano with a .353 wOBA against righties as well. The Mariners could be a nice lower-owned stack led by the leadoff man Gamel tonight.

OF – Adam Jones (BAL) – $3,400 vs. KC

The leadoff spot is a valuable one in MLB DFS so let’s go with another projected leadoff hitter in Adam Jones tonight. Jones is a reverse-splits hitter who sports a solid .182 ISO and a .774 OPS on the season against right-handed pitching. Royals’ righty Ian Kennedy is an extreme fly ball pitcher who has issues with the home run ball as evidenced by his 1.45 HR/9 clip on the season against righties. Considering the home run-friendly confines of Camden Yards in Baltimore this is an exploitable matchup.

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